THE CENTRAL AMERICAN SPECIES OF QUERCUS 45 



Tolima: Cordillera del Quindio, 1918, Dawe 798 (NY). Dept. antioquia: 

 Cordillera above Antioquia, October 1884, Lehmann 8899 (US); La Ceja, July 

 1934, Bro. Daniel 884 (US); San Pedro, April 28, 1940, Bro. Thomas 766 (US.) 

 Dept. Caldas: Cordillera Central, Rio Santa Rita, Salento, July 29, 1922, 

 Killip and Hazen 9024 (NY, US). Dept. Valle: Cordillera Central, Rio 

 Nima, near Palmira, April 1, 1937, Duque 567 (US, USNA [both photographs of 

 isotype of Erythrobalanus duqueana]). Dept. Cauca: Rio Cauca, near Popayan, 

 February 1884, Lehmann 8560 (US) , Cauca Vallev, between Rio Piendamo and 

 Rio Palace, June 6, 1922, Pennell and Killip 6896 (NY, US) ; Rio Ortega, June 27, 

 1922, Pennell and Killip 7244 (NY); Popayan, January 22, 1935, Perez 8092 

 (US); Matorrales en Rio Blanco, near Popayan, July 9, 1939, Perez and Cuatre- 

 casas 5801 (US); mountains above Popayan, without date, Hartweg 1898 (NY), 

 Distr. Alejandria, February 1938, Dryander 2079 (US). 



Series Benthamiae Trel., Mem. Nat. Acad. Sci. 20: 146. 1924. 



Medium-sized or large trees with glabrate or pubescent twigs; buds 

 fusiform, apically f ulvous-tomentose ; leaves lance-elliptic, medium- 

 sized, glabrate except the tomentose midrib beneath, veins raised on 

 both surfaces, petioles 1 to 2 cm. long; fruit annual, cups hemispheric, 

 rather large, the finely fulvous-sericeous scales loosely appressed, 

 acorns hemispheric or depressed-globose, densely fulvous-tomentose 

 or glabrate, about one-half or more included; abortive ovules apical. 



Range: Guatemala and Chiapas. 



Includes: Q. benthami A. DC. (type). 



Although the fruit of this series approximates the type of fruit 

 seen in Q. humboldtii and Q. costaricensis, this series can scarcely be 

 combined with either of these. It is most closely related to the series 

 Andinae. This questionable relationship is discussed under the 

 following species. 



21. Quercus benthami A. DC. in DC. Prodr. 16 2 : 29. 1864. 



Qwrcus gemmata Trel., Mem. Nat. Acad. Sci. 20: 152. pi. 299. 

 1924. 



Medium-sized or large tree. Twigs 1.5 to 2 or 3 mm. thick, ob- 

 scurely fluted, from densely short-velvety-tomentose quickly glabrate 

 or persistently fulvous-pubescent into the second year, dark reddish 

 brown when glabrate, with numerous raised and usually conspicuous 

 light lenticles. Buds 5 to 7 mm. long, 2 to 3 mm. thick, fusiform, light 

 or dark brown and fulvous-tomentose or glabrate except the con- 

 spicuously fulvous-ciliate scales; stipules caducous. Leaves deciduous 

 (?) or distinctly evergreen, moderately thin but firm and coriaceous, 

 5 to usually 7 or 8 or sometimes 10 cm. long, 2 to usually 3 or some- 

 times 5 cm. broad, apices acute to attenuate-acuminate but rarely 

 aristate-tipped, bases cuneate or from broadly rounded to narrowly 

 acute, entire, margins finely but distinctly revolute, finely crisped or 

 flat, upper surface glabrate and somewhat shining, lower surface 

 coarsely fulvous-tomentose along the midrib and in the axils, other- 

 wise glabrate and shiny; veins about 10 to 12 on each side with occa- 

 sional evanescent intermediates, often arising at an angle less than 

 45 degrees, usually branching and rather obscurely anastomosing, 

 raised above and more prominently so beneath, the reticulum slightly 

 prominent on both surfaces; petioles 10 to 20 mm. long, rather 

 prominently winged especially toward the blade, minutely tomentose 

 or glabrate. Catkins? Fruit annual, solitary or paired, subsessile 

 or on a peduncle 3 to 5 mm. long and 2 to usually 3 or 5 mm. thick ; 



323472°— 42 4 



